The Ball State University Athletic Department is losing employees right and left - and something needs to be done about it. The department doesn't seem to be a popular place, and the university hasn't seen a department lose so many employees in such a short amount of time since the admissions department lost eight people in Fall 2006.
Four Athletic Department employees have left in the last six months - two coaches and two administrators. If these people were moving onward and upward, the situation wouldn't look so strange.
However, Ken Brown left his position as deputy athletics director for a school with about 800 students. Lambuth University isn't big enough to be in the NCAA; it's part of the NAIA.
Kyle Brennan, director of athletics compliance and eligibility, is at the University of Utah, which is a little bigger than Ball State in size, but not in prestige.
Michelle Salmon, Ball State's head soccer coach, is moving to the University of Cincinnati, a school in a bigger conference, but the team and program are not as strong as Ball State's have been.
And Ronny Thompson, former head men's basketball coach, left Ball State without having another job lined up.
It is easy to point a finger at Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins and blame him, at least partially, for people flocking out of his department. Whatever the reason for the departures, Collins needs to find a way to keep people around. Without some sort of consistency in the department, issues slip through cracks, violations go temporarily unnoticed and athletes don't have the best chance to develop a strong bond with their coaches to get the most out of their athletic experience.
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